Makhado (Louis Trichardt) police have opened an ivory smuggling docket, following the arrest of a 37-year-old man on the N1 next to the Phumlani plaza.

The police ambushed the man along the N1, after receiving valuable information from community members that a certain man, who is working as a social director in the Department of Social Development at Musina and former SARS employee at Beit Bridge, was said to be smuggling ivory from Musina to Gauteng. Members of the police arrested the man at the Phumlani plaza at Tswane, after a thorough search led to the discovery of ivory worth about R5 220. The man was brought back to Louis Trichardt, where he was charged with the possession of the ivory and was placed in a holding cell at the police station.

According to Supt. Aliwei Mushavhanamadi, a preliminary investigation was done, where it was determined that the ivory found in the government official’s possession was reported stolen from the SARS offices situated at Beit Bridge. The ivory was kept as an exhibition, before it was reported stolen. At the time of going to press, the suspect had yet to appear in court.